Destination: Unknown
by stripedpolkadots
Summary: Four girls. Four stories. One twisted fate. When Troy Bolton reached into his pocket that night, he never expected to lose his almost fiance. Four girls, fated together, make up one story of fear, greed, hate, and lust.TroyellaChaylorZekepayJelsiRyanOC
1. Trailer

This is something I saw a documentary about when I was in Nigeria over the summer (without the romance of course... duh :)) but I haven't really seen anything about it on HSM, or ff . net in general, so... maybe it's orginal? If not, then... woohoo, im not totally weirdo! so... yeah! Here goes!

**Destination: Unknown**

by: **stripedpolkadots**

**_Trailer_**

(**Bold: Don LaFonte r.i.p, **_Italics: Actions/setting _Regular: Dialouge)

**Four Girls**

_Shows Gabriella feeding baby in a small village house, Kelsi working on something in dirty room, Taylor riding on back of okado and Sharpay on stage in a smoky bar/lounge area_

Gabriella: Mama, there is no more food for Pele- where is Papa?

Kelsi: Just one... more... minute...

Taylor: Ah ah?! You said 200 naira from here to Adekunle! I can't pay that!

Sharpay: No more... I can't... please...

**Four Stories**

_Kelsi standing nervously in front of a large man, Taylor struggling in a dark alley, Gabriella sadly waving goodbye to a crying woman, Sharpay smiling and squealing_

Kelsi: I'm sorry- I'm sorry, I tried! But... but, it wouldn't work! Please give me another chance!

Taylor: Let me go! Let me go! Someone- help!

Gabriella: Don't worry mama, I'll send home money- We'll have enough to fix Pele in no time! And then... and then, I'll be back.

Sharpay: Really? You mean it? I'll be a star?!

**One Horrible-**

_Shows Kelsi being injected with something, her screaming, then falling limp._

**Twisted**

_Shows Sharpay backing up, then trying to run from a man with a gun._

**Disgusting**

_Shows Taylor bound and gagged in a tiny compartment._

**Shocking**

_Shows Gabriella handcuffed to a bed, screaming._

**Fate**

_Shows all four girls being led to a car, tied together, bags over their heads. _

**When one clue slips past**

_Shows Gabriella slipping her locket into Troy's white coat._

Troy: Hi, I'm Dr.- Intern Bolton. How'd you bang up your arm so bad?

Gabriella: Just... it was an accident.

**Will it go unnoticed**

_Show Troy throwing the Locket at the wall_

Troy: She messed up everything!

**Or will things be revealed**

_Shows Chad picking up the Locket_

Chad: Hey man, what's this?

**And when the time comes, who will save who?**

_Shows Chad bursting into an empty room, confused, Troy, driving straight at a man, Zeke, jumping out of a tree, and Jason, swinging a bat._

**Or is everyone doomed in this tale of disasterous destinies?**

_Shows Troy, shaking Gabriella_

Troy: Why won't you just tell me the truth?

Gabriella: I can't.

_Shows Taylor, turning away from Chad_

Taylor: I should have known...

Chad: Known what? Should have known what?!

Taylor: That you were one of them... that I couldn't trust you.

_Shows Sharpay, avoiding Zeke's gaze_

Sharpay: For once... I never thought I'd say this...

Zeke: Say what?

Sharpay: You're too good for me... I'm... I'm... not..._ Sharpay runs away_

_Shows Jason, holding Kelsi's hand_

Jason: We could just... run away...

Kelsi: _snatching her hand from his, whispering: _No... never.

**Find out in Destination: Unknown, starring:**

**Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Pacheco/Montez**

_Shows Gabriella leaning against a door, keeping someone out, flashes to her laughing in the rain_

**Monique Coleman as Taylor Ogunwole/McKessie**

_Shows Taylor tackling a large man in a huge room, flashes to her grinning as she eats ice cream_

**Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Badeau/Evans**

_Shows Sharpay slapping a large man, flashes to her covered in flour in a kitchen_

**Olyesa Rulin as Kelsi Gorbachova/Nielson**

_Shows Kelsi diving out of a moving car, flashes to her blushing as she missing a basket_

**Zac Efron as Troy Bolton**

_Shows Troy racing down a hospital hall beside a strecher, flashes to him jumping into a puddle_

**Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth**

_Shows Chad kicking open a door, gun pointed, flashes to him making a shot from half-court_

**Chris Warren Jr. as Zeke Baylor**

_Shows Zeke stirring two pots at the same time, flashes to him pulling a cake out of the oven._

**Ryne Sanborn as Jason Cross**

_Shows Jason kicking a soccor ball stand and it all falling, flashes to him helping a toddler shoot_

**and Lucas Gabreel as Ryan Badeau**

_Shows Ryan frantically flipping through phonebooks, flashes to him sitting on a plane, looking out_

Jack Nicholson as "Jim"

Christopher Walken as "Bob"

Hugh Laurie as "Stew"

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Caroline Sheilds

and introducing

Emma de Caunes as Celeste Devereux-Badeau

**Coming soon to a computer near you!**

ok, if anyone has been able to figure out what this is about, woot woot for you. seriously. give yourself a woot woot _right now. _if you haven't, that's cool. give yourself a woot. the subject of this is... modern slavery! yayyyy! jp. it is still going on, a lot a lot. There's many different ways people get roped into it, i tried to name the four most common (and yes i actually did do loads of research on it!), which are: simple kidnappings, being sold by your parents/guardian/spouse(usually husband/boyfriend), being tricked into it, either by being promised money for a poor family, or a modeling career. MTV actually did a special on girls who were told they were gonna be models and were instead forced into prostitution. so... yeah.

i researched for the names (except taylor's that was easiest) and tried to place them in the most believable situations. But if i mess up on an aspect of someone's job (for example: troy's getting his internship at a large hospital- the most i know about that is reading micheal crichton and my mom answering my questions... jk, i did a lot of research on interns- but i know i'll screw up SOMETHING with chad's job. CSI can only get you so far...) don't hesitate to tell me. seriously. tell me. as soon as you see it, SCREAM AT ME.

um... i have a bad habit of getting distracted. right now, i have this story written up to chapter 4, but its not typed. and i have to share a computer with FIVE CHILDREN (as soon as i get my laptop fixed...) so theres that downside. but if you noticed i haven't updated in like a week or two, come and beat me over the head. honestly. come and get me. i live at... never mind. just send me a strongly worded PM. those always make me feel loved. and im not being sarcastic. as soon as i get that strongly worded letter, i head STRAIGHT to the computer and UPDATE. so... just SEND THE PM.

thats it. and i promise, this is one of the longest AN's you'll ever see me write. normally its a sentence or two, then me begging you to reveiw. thats it. btw, i LIVE for reveiws. even if you just say hi/this sucks/this rocks/omg i love you you're so gorgeuos/flame flame flame/please update/critiques/grammer mistakes/fall in a well, i will be SO happy. SO SO HAPPY. and happy memore updateshappy you. see? it all works out.

an okado is like a taxi, except its on a motorcycle. there are a lot of those in lagos because of the traffic.

naira is the nigerian currency. 118 N (naira) to the dollar. And Adekunle is just a street.

oh! one more thing (JCA anyone?) im sorry to say this, but once bball season starts (mid to end of october) the updates will prolly be mucho slower. right now theyll prolly be like once every three or four days, maybe faster.

and THAT is it. fer shure. gbye. and por favor... REVEIW.


	2. Ch 1: Gabriella's Story

so... here we go! :)

**Destination: Unknown**

by: **stripedpolkadots**

chapter one: **Gabriella's Story**

"Bibi… Bibi… my stomach…'

Gabriella Pacecho set down the shirt she had been patching. José was nine years old, and to Gabriella, it seemed all she did was mend his clothes. At the moment though, Pele, her youngest brother required her attention.

Pele, who had just learned to talk, had been complaining of stomach pains for almost two weeks now. Rosa Pachecho had placed her young son in the care of her eldest daughter while she went off to work, in hopes of maybe taking Pele to one of the big hospitals in Rio.

Gabriella leaned down to comfort Pele, and was immediately alarmed to see that he wasn't vomiting, he was coughing up blood.

Gabriella cleared the wooden table of fabric, and, taking Pele in her two strong arms, lifted him onto it. Making soothing noises to the frightened child, her mind raced. She turned toward the door.

"José! José! José come quick!"

A small head poked through a window, and a human head soon followed. "Yes Bibi I am feeding the chickens, only a few more-"

Gabriella cut him off and called another name. "Lisol! Lisol! Lis-" She heard her sister's wooden cane dragging on the floor long before she saw her. Finally though, the twelve-year-old girl appeared, a bowl of leaves in her hand. "Ah, Bibi, Ana Maria said these helped her son when he was vomitin-"

Gabriella felt like crying. "Enough! José, take Lisol up to the doutor branco. You go on and find Mama!"

Both her brother and sister looked at her, and, as if for the first time, seemed to see the panic on her face and the blood on both her and Pele.

José took a step for the door, face white. "Bibi…?" he questioned, sounding once again like a child of Pele's age, the pre-adolescent jaunt gone from his voice.

Gabriella wiped at the tears on her face furiously, and Lisol, seeing this, did a very un-Lisol-like thing: she took charge.

Almost completely forgoing use of her cane, she dragged her lame foot to the door, blocking José's entrance. She used her bigger frame to push him out of the doorway.

"Come on José… are you not supposed to be the man while Papa is out? Bibi can not do everything you know… no no, leave Pele, Bibi will take care of him… you must lead me to the ah? I cannot go in the forest with my foot… what if a jaguar was to get me? And who else will get Mama? Who else is the fastest runner… yes you, now come, lead me through the forest to the homem branco house…"

When there voices had finally died out, Gabriella pinched herself one more time before looking at her sickly brother. She wiped his face again, and flinched when he felt how hot her baby brother's skin was. Hot and sweaty.

Looking around, Gabriella placed a quick kiss on Pele's cheek before reaching under her and her Lisol's bed for the water tub. She placed it on her back and raced for the well she and Davi had dug only two years ago. Gabriella blinked back the inevitable tears that always came when she thought of Davi. She had another brother to help now.

When the tub was filled with water, Gabriella dragged it to the center of the yard. Normally it took her _and_ her mother both using all their strength to haul it a few feet, but somehow adrenaline gave Gabriella to do it alone.

She ran back into the kitchen to find Pele gurgling… on his blood. She gave a cry of terror and sprinted to the little boy. As she turned him over, she had to look away from the blood he coughed all over the floor of the room. When the coughing was down to a dribble, she tenderly took off his shirt, and the small cotton shorts he was wearing. She then lifted him up and carried him outside to the tub.

She slid him into the water gently, taking care to keep his head tilted and out of the water. The child's cries died down, and finally stopped. Gabriella panicked until she saw that he was sleeping. When Pele jerked at the sound of a tree branch falling, Gabriella began to sing. Her mother had always told her that it was only Gabriella's singing that would quiet a fussy Davi, and she had seen it for herself with Lisol and José. When Pele would cry, she would sing the song her mother had taught her, a children's song that became so much more, if all the right emotions of love and care were present.

**destination:unknown**

It was almost two hours later when Gabriella finally heard Lisol's cane. A few minutes later, she came out of the forest and into view with Dr. Gary Palmer following nervously behind her. Dr. Palmer was the replacement for Dr. Joesph Moreno, who had gone home to be with his wife, who had recently found that she had terminal cancer. Dr. Palmer was nowhere near as good for one- he didn't speak any Porteguese- at all, and two- he was intensely afraid of the jungle, and tried his damnedest to stay away from it- which was bad, due to the fact that most of his potential patients made their home in the jungle, or as the Pacecho's did, on the border. It was for this reason that Gabriella had only seen the man twice: once, at Dr. Moreno's farewell ceremony, and two years ago, when he had come to inform Rosa of Davi's… death.

She let Lisol take hold of Pele's head and hurried forward to the doctor. "Doctor…how…b-be…my…brofer?", she asked, in her best English.

Dr. Palmer furrowed his brow. "_Brofer?_" He grinned. "You must mean _brother_… well, I haven't exactly seen him yet… heh heh… but lemme just take a quick lookie-lookie and we'll see what I can see, ah?"

Gabriella didn't have a clue what the man was talking about, but she nodded anyway. She had learned that sometimes the had strange speech patterns, words that weren't taught at school. The best way to react was just smile and nod. So she did so.

Dr. Palmer smiled back and headed for the tub. When he saw the blood splattered dirt around the metal tub, his smile faded. He looked back, and noticed the blood on Gabriella's shirt. Pulling his glasses out of his pocket, he knelt down to be level with the tub.

"My God…" he breathed. Gabriella bit her lip. That never met anything good…

He turned around and looked at her. Gabriella watched his face, waiting for a sign of anything good. She couldn't find one.

He took off his glasses and rubbed them clean. "Where's your mother?"

Gabriella shrugged, looking towards the trees. "I… I sent José Mama to. He… soon he be back."

Dr. Palmer nodded and gestured toward the house. Taking a last glance at Pele, she led Dr. Palmer into the house.

Looking around, he finally took a seat on her mother's chair. He put his fingers together and leaned in. Gabriella feared the worst.

* * *

**destination:unknown**

"Oh! Oh my baby! Meu bebe pobre! Ah, ah, Mama's here!"

Gabriella got up and ran outside. She was surprised to see it was already dark out; the doctor must have taken longer examining Pele then she thought.

She felt a presence behind her and turned to see Dr. Palmer shifting nervously on his feet. Rose Pacecho looked up at Palmer, Pele's head in her hands.

"Well doctor? What is wrong with my son? Please, tell me!" Rosa was an assistant general manager at a manufacturing company, and, as such, her English had improved greatly.

Palmer ran a hand through his thinning blond hair. He didn't meet Rosa's eye, and Gabriella felt her heart clench. She looked to her left and saw Lisol tightly clutching Jose to her. She was surprised to see Jose's face- he was crying. After Davi had died, he hadn't cried for anything. She took the few steps necessary and wrapped both of them in her arms. Jose turned his face to her chest and began to bawl. Even Lisol- strong, light-hearted, happy Lisol began to sniffle.

"Doctor? Please..."

Palmer took a deep breath and let it out as one word. "Yoursonhasmalariaitsinaveryadvancedstagewithoutthenessacarysurgeryhelldiewithintheyear."

Rosa blanched. "Malaria? My son... my bebe malaria?"

Something confused Gabriella. "A year? Malaria last... so long?"

Palmer shrugged. "It appears he's actually had the disease for a very long time now, maybe two or three years. I believe he may have just gotten an ordinary sickness that has simply been magnified by pre-existing malaria."

Gabriella didn't have time for Palmer to use his fancy words. "Excuse me?"

Palmer stared at her, surprised. Gabriella was usually such a polite girl. He scratched his head. "Um...er... Peelee has had malaria for a long time... it's just now starting to show... he probably has a common cold, but the malaria is making it appear much, much worse."

Rosa's legs crumpled and she fell to the floor. "How much?"

"Pardon?"

"How much will it cost for the surgery?"

Palmer coughed. "Well... we can probably keep him for six months on pills but..."

Rosa leaped up and grabbed Palmer' s arm. "How much?!"

Palmer sighed. "Around... . He hasn't had good health care, and it looks like he's picked up a nasty virus. He can't possibly stay here if he hopes to pull through completely."

Rosa moaned. "Where am I supposed to take him? I cannot leave my job here! The money..."

Gabriella released her siblings and stepped forward. "Mama, I will make the money, and we can send Pele to stay with cousin Luiz in Rio!"

Rosa turned to her daughter. "No Bibi, you are too young-"

Gabriella cut her off. "Young? Mama, I am almost 23 years old! I have finished schooling, and university, and the general store won't need me until winter season! I will be back long before that. Marisa Cordeira has been working full-time since she was seventeen! She goes to Italy and sends home the money- she works in a big house. And now, you see, Miriam Cordeira does not even go to work anymore. She just lets her daughter take care of everything! Let me do that mama!"

Rosa shook her head. "No, no Bibi! You are needed at home! Who will make the food, mend the clothes, take care of the house while I am at work?"

Gabriella threw up her hands. "Mama. Lisol can do all that and you know it! Jose knows his chores, and he does them without being told! And even then, school starts again in less than a month. With Jose and Lisol at the school, and Pele in Rio, no one will even be in the house when you're at work!"

Rosa started to cry. "No Bibi, please... I cannot lose two of my children... please..."

Gabriella shook her head. "I am sorry Mama... but it is better this way." She turned to Palmer, who had awkwardly been listening to the conversation, not understanding a word of it. "Dr. Palmer, please... papers for Pele... send them to Rio. He go to Rio."

The doctor's eyes widened, but he nodded. Gabriella turned to her brother. "Jose, lead Dr. Palmer back to his house."

Jose nodded and raced forward, the doctor close behind. Gabriella began walking towards the house, calling over her shoulder, "Lisol, stay with Pele, Mama, please come with me, we have to make plans. I will have left before the week is up."

Sobbing, Rosa followed her daughter into the house.

**destination:unknown**

okay... so thats that. i really didnt think the introductions would be that long! i mean, i originally planned to get all four of them in 2 chapters! i think it might end up being like 5 or 6 in the end tho. but side note, if you're a doctor, just ignore the super-human malaria virus. it was the closest disease for what i wanted, so i just tweaked it a lil bit. no harm right?

arp. homem branco is white man. doutor branco is white doctor. and i asked the brazilian exchange student if they really do us 'bibi' as a nickname for Gabriella, and he said yes. yupyup. legitmate.

on a pm someone sent me, its rated T mostly for subject matter. and a lil language. and violence. i dont really plan on doing any smut/lemons. just because you guys would laugh. trust me, you'd laugh. anyways, there'll be a few (mmk a bit more than a few) risque scenes, but nothing to in-depth.

and i know i said i usually have really short AN's, but im just trying to clarify. but i'll shut up now.

luvs-**stripedpolkadots**

OH NO! WAIT! REVIEW!


	3. Ch 2: Taylor's Tale

im baaaaackkkk! and i have a REASON for not updating. so dont hate me! reasons at the end. so... enjoy!

**Destination: Unknown**

by: **stripedpolkadots**

chapter one:** Taylor's Story**

"YABA YABA YABA YABA!!"

Taylor Ogunwole pushed her way through the crowds to the beckoning okado-man.

"How much to Adekunle sa?"

The man looked her up and down and grinned. "Ah… for you miss… 300 naira."

Taylor rolled her eyes and began to walk away. A hand grabbed her arm. Taylor quickly yanked it away. She turned to the man. "What now?"

The man revved his engine. "Madam, I go take you a Adekunle now fa 200 naira."

Taylor fingered her peeling purse. That would leave her only 75 naira for dinner. Well… she could always get them Endomin again. She would be fine with fufu… again.

She saw another woman eyeing the 200 N okado, and she quickly sat on the back. "Okay sa, I'm going to 431 Old Graveyard Road."

The okado nodded. "Wetin dey go, I know tha place."

Clutching her purse to her chest, Taylor suppressed a cough as the motorcycle went straight into the exhaust fume path of a nearby lorry. She took a deep breath and tuned out the pounding sounds of the far-stretching, everlasting traffic jam.

Soon they were nearing the Third Miracle Bridge. Taylor sighed as she looked across the glistening water to Victoria Island.

Victoria Island was a large island off the coast that was connected to the mainland by the Third Mainland Bridge. Mainly the rich inhabited it: governors, football players, and Nollywood stars.

"Madam? Madam? MADAM?"

Taylor awoke from her daydream. She got off the bike, stretched, and reached into her purse. Sighing, she pulled out 200 N.

The man took it, put it into his belly pouch, and looked up. "How come you dey pay me no 300 N?"

Taylor took a step back. "Ah ah now?! You said 200 N to go to Adekunle!"

The man shrugged. "Traffic be dey much today. Ah me no expect traffic. Petrol be dey much naira. You have now pay afa me petrol."

Taylor took another step away from the man. "Ah now sa, you said 200. I only have 200 with me now."

The man lurched forward and grabbed her bag. "Why you lie? I fa know you getta money! Pay me my money witch!"

Taylor tried to grab her bag. "Let go! I shall scream sa! Let me go NOW!" With that last word, she wrenched her bag away from the man's grasp. Throwing the 200 naira at the man, she turned and raced down the path that led to her home. The man shouted after her, and even revved his engine, but he didn't dare start down the dark and dangerous looking path that Taylor had gone down- just as Taylor had known he wouldn't. Still, she kept a wary eye out. Most of the people on this street were kind, and in just as an unfortunate situation as herself, but she also knew there were many on the street who had long forgotten their Christian or Moslem upbringing and since turned to deplorable acts to get money.

She reached the door of her apartment and knocked quickly. She heard footsteps thudding down the hall, then Rachel's soft voice.

"Who's there?"

"Rachel, its me."

"Taylor?"

"Yeah."

Rachel opened the door. She had 17-month Joka on her arm and Taylor could see Faith peeking out of the door.

Rachel ushered Taylor in, looked out behind her, and slammed and locked the door. She turned and faced Taylor. Taylor took Joka from Rachel's arm and felt his diaper. A little wet, but it would last.

Rachel crossed her arms. "You were gone a week this time." She said accusingly.

Taylor carried Joka down the hall and patted three-year-old Faith on the head. She turned to Rachel over her shoulder. "Yeah. Ehcual le to you to."

Rachel looked down and gave a quick almost kneel, but didn't stop following Taylor. "You were gone a _week_."

Taylor turned. Now Rachel sounded more hurt than angry. She saw ten-year-old Oye in the hall ahead of her. She called the boy over to her. When he arrived, she passed Joka off to him. She then took Rachel's hand and led her to the kitchen. While she searched hopefully for a potato or even a yam, she looked at Rachel.

The younger girl had her hands folded on the table in front of her, and was looking down.

Finally Taylor gave up on the hopeless search and sat down on the floor. The other two chairs were far to small for her, and it was simply easier for her to get up without squeezing out of the table.

She took Rachel's hands in her own. "Come on now, you know Madam had a party planned. Bisi was not able to make it and I had to work her time. Madam has promised to add the extra time to my paycheck though."

Rachel made a face and Taylor had to laugh along with her. The thought of Madam paying more than a single naira what was required was a laughable thought.

When Taylor felt a drop of moisture on her hand, she looked up, surprised. Rachel was… crying?

She was. Taylor was still confused when Rachel looked up, a new determination in her eyes. "I have it. I will get a job."

Taylor laughed, and Rachel frowned. "What is so funny?"

Taylor shrugged. "Oh, you just really seemed to think I'd let you quit your education to get a _job._" She said the last word with a sneer.

Rachel dropped her hands and pointed at Taylor accusingly. "_You_ quit school to get a job."

Taylor began to count on her fingers. "One. I quit _uni._ That's quite different than tenth year. Two. I was _19. _You are 15. Three. I had no choice when the orphanage closed. You have no choice but to stay in school. Four. I already had enough credits to graduate, and even better grades then the seniors. And five…. er… because I said so!"

Rachel slammed her hands down on the table. "Taylor, I know you see how ridiculous this is! How much money do you have?"

Taylor gave the smaller girl the evil eye, but Rachel didn't back down. "How much?"

Taylor sighed. "If we divide it carefully, we have 300 naira a day and 100 extra."

Rachel threw up her hands. "You got 1000 N for one WEEK of work! Come on Taylor, you're intelligent! You know how unreasonable this is!"

Taylor stood up from the table. "Taye, Kende! Come here!" She waited by the door as the twins came rushing down. As always, Taye was ahead of her brother. Taylor reached into her purse and pulled out the 100 N bill. She handed the money to Kende. Although Taye was more likely to get a better deal, it was smarter to let Kende hold the money. Taye was flighty, and had a history of buying sweets with any money she was given. And Kende was far to shy to bargain for a reasonable price on anything. But Taylor didn't mind. They were only six after all, and were unaware of the true bleakness of their situation.

Taylor bent down to their level. She looked Taye in the eye.

"Endomin. That's all. Get two chicken and a beef. Ok? _Just Endomin._"

Taye shifted. "But we are so thirsty. I want buy Fanta! We want Fanta!"

Kende stuck a toothpick in his mouth and nodded along with his sister. If there was anything that Kende would beg for, it was orange Fanta.

Taylor felt a pang in her chest. Children so young, yet they asked for so little. Swallowing hard, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, we don't have money for any Fan-"

"They can use my Endomin money to get one Fanta to share."

Taylor looked up. Twelve-year-old Yemi was in the door, her five year old sister Buki holding on to her skirt and thirteen-year-old Jide standing behind her, a book in his hand. Taylor had to stifle a small smile. Jide was in love with Yemi, but the girl was oblivious. She cared about little else than her sister and the other children.

Still almost smiling, Taylor shook her head. "No, there is nothing more for you to eat other then Endomin. There is barely enough fufu left for me and Rachel."

Yemi shrugged and patted the twins on the head as she left, followed closely by the ever-present Jide.

Taye opened her mouth to protest again, but Taylor patted her on the back and ushered both twins out the door.

"Taylor, we need to-"

Taylor interrupted. "Rachel, where is Ayodele?"

Rachel, angry at being interrupted, shrugged. "I don't know, I saw him with that Iyapo boy. Modupe was with him."

Taylor dropped her purse. "Iyapo? They are with Iyapo and his gang?"

Rachel frowned. "I wouldn't exactly call it a gang…"

"Rachel, they are under suspicion for killing two men! And one a government official!"

Rachel began to look uneasy. "I didn't know, Dupe just asked if he could go with Ayo to Iyapo's place! I didn't think… I just…"

Taylor started for the door. "When the twins get back, cook the Endomin for everyone, leave Ayo's and Dupe's plate warm, I'm going to go get them-"

"Go get who?"

With a joyful cry, Taylor scooped the nine-year-old Dupe in her arms, avoiding the toothpick in his mouth, and ignoring his protests. When she set him down, she turned to face eleven-year-old Ayo, who at least had the decency to look somewhat ashamed.

She yanked the toothpick from his mouth. "What did I tell you about these toothpicks? You are setting a bad example! First Dupe, now even Kende has got this stick in his mouth!"

Ayo shrugged, and Taylor changed the subject. "And what's this I hear about you hanging out with Iyapo's gang?"

Ayo shrugged. "Iyapo invited me over the day before yesterday. I no want be rude, so I go. And it no be bad place, so I let Dupe follow wit me this time."

Taylor's eyes popped. "_This _time? How many times has there been?!"

"Only four or five…"

Before Taylor could explode, the twins came back with the noodles. Taylor took the noodles off there hands and told them to gather the other children. Rachel began making the fufu and the boys escaped to outside.

Ten minutes later, Taylor was placing bowls on the table. The unspiced noodles she'd feed to Joka, Faith's small plate, the twins, Buki, Oye and Dupe's healthy portions, and Ayo, Yemi, and Jide's slightly smaller ones. She called them to eat, ignoring Rachel's numerous hints that their conversation on her quitting school wasn't over.

When Joka was fed and the children were eating, Taylor finally took her place on the doorstep to eat her own food. The plain fufu was dry and tasteless, but it was food. As long as the children had food to eat, she was content.

so i havent been able to update because of loads of reasons. i think one of the main ones is :( my friends mom died in Iraq late september :( and her dad died ages ago in some _other _army thing about six seven years ago, so now she's moved to virginia to live with her aunt and uncle (whos on a tour of Afghanistan right now) but it was a really sudden move, she had to uproot everything in a month, so i was helping out a friend on that front.

other reasons: first report card of the year teachers trying to get as many grades in the gradebook as possible. ive been homework SWAMPED. and i just took the PSAt, so yea. basketball, and ive been troll-sitting even MORE than usual.

but those are just the reasons the updates splooshed fer a while.

OH!

okado- motorcyle taxi-guy

naira- currency

yaba- HUGE/BUSY/CROWDED market street. the traffic is AWFUL.

third mainland bridge- busiest bridge in africa.

victoria island- belair of lagos

"echual le"- welcome. i dunno if thats the total correct spelling tho. eh-koo-ah-lay

"ogunwole"- oh-goon-woh-lay

"joka"- joh-kah ; 'feeds on honors, loved by many'

"ayodele"- eye-oh-dell-ay ; 'happiness returns home'

"modupe"- mo-doo-pay ; 'gratefulness'

"iyapo"- ee-yah-po ; many hard situations (which is weird cuz my mom's name is iyaBo, which means 'mother has come')

"taye"- tie-yay ; taken from 'Taiyewo' or 'taiwo' which means older twin (i have two cousins name taye or taiwo, a boy and a girl)

"kende"- ken-day ; taken from 'Kehinde' which means younger twin (i also have two kende cousins, both boys)

"yemi"- yeh-me ; usually short for opeyemi (my name!) which means 'i am meant to be grateful' or adeyemi which means 'the crown fits me'

"oye"- oh-yay ; taken from 'oluoye' which means 'almighty god'

"buki"- boo-kee, buu-kee ; taken from 'bukola'

"jide"- jee-day ; usually taken from 'babajide' which means 'father has returned home', (both iyabo and jide are usually used for eldest children only)

ok. thats all. just thought u might wanna know some background stuff. i might do that for the others too. idk yet tho...

mmk... PLEASE REVEIW! PLEASE! and pray 4 all the soldiers everywhere por favor. REVEIW REVIEW REVIEW!!

3 luv, **stripedpolkadots**


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